BBC could face terror probe after admission that Hamas family was paid during making of Gaza film

Counter terrorism police are assessing whether to launch a probe after it was revealed that a BBC Two documentary on Gaza was narrated by the son of a senior Hamas official.

An internal review conducted by the broadcaster into Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone concluded that 13-year-old Abdullah al-Yazouri was the son of a deputy agriculture minister in the Hamas government.

In a statement, the corporation said that the documentary’s independent production company, Hoyo Films, had told the BBC that a “limited sum of money” had been paid to the child’s mother, via his sister’s bank account, for his work.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “We’re aware of a BBC documentary about Gaza and we have received a number of reports raising concerns.

“Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are currently assessing whether any police action is required in relation to this matter.”

Ofcom told the JC that it received 17 complaints about the documentary, which purported to tell the stories of “ordinary Palestinians”.

A number of senior MPs, including Damien Egan, the Jewish Labour MP for Bristol North East, and Reform UK’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice, have called for an independent investigation into the production of the film.

On Thursday, the BBC’s board admitted that “serious and damaging” mistakes had been made in the production of the documentary.

The BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, requested that a full “fact-finding review” be undertaken by Peter Johnston, the director of editorial complaints and reviews, which is independent from BBC News.

“While Hoyo Films have assured us that no payments were made to members of Hamas or its affiliates, either directly, in kind, or as a gift, the BBC is seeking additional assurance around the budget of the programme and will undertake a full audit of expenditure,” a BBC spokesperson said.

“We are requesting the relevant financial accounts of the production company in order to do that.”

The documentary was removed from iPlayer on February 21 after it was revealed by activist and freelance journalist David Collier that the film’s narrator had close links to Hamas which were not disclosed to the audience.

On Wednesday, the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) organised a demonstration outside the BBC, where protesters accused the broadcaster of “whitewashing terrorism”.

“We all came out this evening because it is time for transparency and accountability. We need to know if licence fee funds went to Hamas, we need to know how a Hamas propaganda programme was broadcast, we need resignations and we finally need an independent inquiry into BBC bias against the Jewish state,” a CAA spokesperson said.

Asked whether there should be resignations within the BBC following the documentary debacle, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “It’s right that the BBC has acknowledged the serious failings by them and the production company Hoyo Films.

“The public rightly holds the BBC to the highest standards of reporting and governance, which is why the culture secretary had two meetings with the BBC last week, and she was clear on those meetings that no stone should be left unturned by the fact finding review now commissioned by the BBC, and this must happen quickly, with appropriate action taken on its findings.”

The JC contacted the BBC for comment.